A new generation of integrated sea surface temperature (SST) data products are being provided by the Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE) High-Resolution SST Pilot Project (GHRSST-PP). These combine in near-real time various SST data products from several different satellite sensors and in situ observations and maintain the fine spatial and temporal resolution needed by SST inputs to operational models. The practical realization of such an approach is complicated by the characteristic differences that exist between measurements of SST obtained from subsurface in-water sensors, and satellite microwave and satellite infrared radiometer systems. Furthermore, diurnal variability of SST within a 24-h period, manifested as both warm-layer and cool-skin deviations, introduces additional uncertainty for direct intercomparison between data sources and the implementation of data-merging strategies. The GHRSST-PP has developed and now operates an internationally distributed system that provides operational feeds of regional and global coverage high-resolution SST data products (better than 10 km and ~6 h). A suite of online satellite SST diagnostic systems are also available within the project. All GHRSST-PP products have a standard format, include uncertainty estimates for each measurement, and are served to the international user community free of charge through a variety of data transport mechanisms and access points. They are being used for a number of operational applications. The approach will also be extended back to 1981 by a dedicated reanalysis project. This paper provides a summary overview of the GHRSST-PP structure, activities, and data products. For a complete discussion, and access to data products and services see the information online at www.ghrsst-pp.org.
Met Office, Exeter, United Kingdom
Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton, Southampton, United Kingdom
NOAA/National Oceanographic Data Center, Silver Spring, Maryland
NASA PO.DAAC, JPL, Pasadena, California
European Space Agency, Frascati, Italy
Remote Sensing Systems, Santa Rosa, California
NAVOCEANO, Stennis Space Center, Mississippi
Meteo-France/Centre de Meteorologie Spatiale, Lannion, France
IFREMER/CERSAT, Brest, France
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research, Hobart, Australia
Australian Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne, Australia
University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
GeoLogics, Hilo, Hawaii
NOAA/CICS, University of Maryland, College Park, College Park, Maryland
NOAA/ESRL, Boulder, Colorado
CCAR, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
RSMAS, University of Miami, Miami, Florida
University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Chilton, United Kingdom
NOAA/NCDC, Asheville, North Carolina
JAXA/University of Tohoku, Tohoku, Japan
